Scored ice block and method



H. D. POWNALL.

SCORED ICE BLOCK AND METHOD Filed Feb. 6, 1923 49. BMW

a citizen of the United of Ohio, fulIm scored ice blocks Y ti on thereof. One

article 0 4 ported in larg ture ice b w tem of score lines whereby t e a or large umts are as separated mto 40 Is to provide an improved method or m the descri tion large units of naturalice,

"Patented Jan-'6, 1925.

UNITED I STATES HENRY D. POWNALL, OI CANTON, OHIO. I

PATENT FFICE.

ICE BLOCK AND METHOD.

Application filed February 6, 1923. Serial NIL 617,279.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, HENRY D. POWNALL, States, residing at Canton, in the county of Stark rovements in Scored Ice Blocks and Meth of which the following is a speci' fication.

My invention relates to improvements in and method of producof its objects is to provide as an improved article of manufacture ice blocks, preferably blocks 'of artificial ice, scored in special manner to enable the '15 ice to be transportedin large units to the locality of consumption, and to then be readily subdivided along scored lines into smaller units, respectively of uniformweight. Another ob'ect is to provide as an improved manufacture ice blocks, scored in special manner to enable the ice to be transe units without liability of gccidental division into smaller units, and

at the same time adapted to .have' smaller 26 units respectively of substantially uniform weight and symmetrical outline successively 1 detached from such larger unit as required for delivery or consumption. Another object is to rovide as an articleof manufacocks each havin a s ecial syswlible blocks Well and firmly held toether for the urpose of transportation as arge units-and not liableto he accidentally smaller units in transporta tion, and which are readily separable by the use of a suitable dimensions and symmetrical outline at the place or places of delivery. Another object scoring ice blocks. My invention also comprocedure,

and combination of components, all of which will be set forth drawings in w 'ch: v

Fig. '1, is a side elevation of a block of artificial ice embodying my improvements.

dsectional detai taken on line 2-2 of ig. 1. t

.Fig. 2, is anenlar Fig, 3, is a perspective view of a small unit or fraction separated fromthealarger -.unit shown in Fig. 1, v I

My invention is adaptedto be applied to and tolarge units and is especially deof artificial. plate ice,

and State 1 have invented certain new and usea tool into units ofsmaller art of of the accompanying 'plicable to the large blocks signed for and a cial can we more generally or umts of arti produced. It is designed to enable the large to its destination or point of consumption,

and there readily divided uniformly along said score lines into smaller units of substantlally uniform weight and symmetrical outline.

Heretofore it has been diflicult for honestform of large units.-

1y disposed ice delivery men to divide the larger substantially uniform weight and symmetrical outline. The smaller blocks of irregular outline have imperfectly fitted the ice compartments of the respective ice boxes of the consumers, and the irre larity in the weight of the units delivere fi om day to day, has caused dissatisfactionsnn the part ofv consumers. Also dishonestly disposed ice delivery'men have, for their own interests, purposely so divided the large blocks of ice into smaller units as to intentionally deliver short Weight ieces of ice to regular consumers in order t at they might thus provide a supplyof ice to be sold to transient customers and the proceeds of such sales to transients appropriated by the ice del very men to their own use to the mutual injury and dissatisfaction and his regular customers.

The accompan ing drawings illustrate the preferred embodiment of my invention in which 1 6 represents a large an block of ice as for instance a three or four hundred gsmnd block of artificial ice such as is orwalls of e ice cans. A core 17 of more or less porous or spongy ice is ordinarily formed through the center of the ice block from end to end thereof, while the ice surrounding said core is dense strong and transparent.

Score lines 18 and 19 preferably of uniform depth are cut or formed end'of the large blocks 16 by any of the ice dealer- 0 ice cans as soonas the ice hasbeen loosened from the blocks of ice into smaller units of.

11o I from end to serviceable ly in plane with the scored lines to 1' f2- required and means, as for instance by means of saw cuts. A series of substantially parallel score lines and 21, of greater depth at their centers than at their ends are formed transversely to the score lines 18 and 19, upon opposite sides of the large ice block 16, as for instance by means of circular saw cuts. The large ice blocks 16 are thereby partiallysevered by the score lines or cut 18 and 19 and 20 and 21 into a series of smaller sections or ice blocks2d, which are substantially rectangular in outline and of nearly the same dimensions, and by spacing the score lines 20 and 21 the proper relative distances apart, the several smaller sections or blocks 24 ma be so proportioned as to be all of substant1ally the same weig t, notwithstanding the tap red formof the large block 16.

It'will be noted from Fig. 2, that the unscored or unsevered portion 26 of the lar e ice block is in cross section substantially t ev of an I-beam, and that the unsame as that severed portion is chiefly located at both ends of the I-beam where strength is most is chiefly of solid ice of maximum strength, hence the large ice block is of a cross sectional pattern calculated to prevent premature or accidental separation of the large-block into fractions, while the application of an ice pick or axe'as a wedge along one or more of the scored lines Wlll cause a cleavage, controlled by-and uniformproduce small ice blocks of substantially uniform outline and proportion and ofunI- form weight. In ractice the application of anice pic or simi ar instrument at the point and in substantially the direction indicated by the arrow. 30 in Fig. 2, from one side only of the large ice blocks will be suficient to initiate a cleavage along and in plane with one of the score lines 20 or 21. A. subsequent similar application of an ice ick along a short section of one of the score ines 18 or 19 will serve to separate two small ice blocks 24 one from the other along a line of cleavage in plane with the score lines 18 and 19.

Where my improved score lines are applied to natural ice or to plate ice, the score lines 20 and 21 may be spaced uniform dis-' tances apart to producesmall ice blocks of uniform weight. Where the score lines are applied to tapered ice blocks taken from ice cans, the score lines 20 and 21-are unevenly spaced apart as indicated-in Fig. 1, in order that the respective small blocks may be of uniform weight but of slightly difierent dimensions. In the natural ice, the plate ice, and the can ice, the score lines and the lines or planes of cleavage in the unsevered portions of the ice are caused to act in harmony to produce small ice blocks of symmetrical descri is v outline and uniform weight.

The article herein shown and thereby vwith said score capable of considerable modification without departing from the spirit of my invenseries of smaller ice blocks of substantially uniform weight. I s I '2. An improved article of manufacture comprising a large ice block having a series ofscore lines in one side thereof of greater depth at their centers than at their ends, saidscore lines being substantially parallel and spaced apart to enable said ice to be transported as a large unit and to insure division of said large ice block by fracture into a series of smaller ice blocks of substantially uniform weight.

3. An improved article of manufacture till comprising a large ice block having a series of opposed score lines in opposite faces thereof each of greater depth at its center than at its ends and termlnating at opposite ends near the limits of the face in which it is cut, said score lines being substantially parallel and spaced a art to enable said ice to be transported as arge units and to insure division of said large ice block into a series of smaller ice blocks of symmetrical outline and uniform wei ht.

4. An improved artic e of manufacture comprising a large ice block having a pair of opposed .score lines longitudinally .thereof and a series of opposed score lines transversely of said longitudinal score lines in opposite faces of said ice block, each of said transverse score lines being of greater depth at its center than at its ends and terminating at opposite ends near the limits of the face in which it is cut, said transverse score lines being substantially parallel and spaced apart to enable said ice to be transported as a large unit and to insure division of said lar e ice block into a series of smaller ice bloc of symmetrical outline and uniform weight.

5. The method of subdividing large ice blocks into. a series of smaller ice blocks of a symmetrical outline and uniform weight which comprises scoring opposite faces of at its center than at its ends leaving a continuous connecting I-beam shaped connect- "ing core,iand subsequently causing a cleavage of the ice controlled by and in plane lines to subdivide said large ice blocks into a plurality of smaller ice Mill blocks of symmetrical outline and uniform weight. p

6. The method of subdividing large ice blocks into a series of smaller ice blocks of symmetrical outline and uniform weight which comprises first scoring one face of each large ice block with a series of parallel score lines spaced apart, and each of greater depth at its center than at its ends thereby leaving a continuous connecting core from end to end of said large ice block thicker at opposite sides than at its center, transporting said large scored ice blocks and subsequently after transportation dividing said large ice blocks by fracture into a plurality of small ice blocks of symmetrical outline and uniform weight.

7. An improved article of manufacture comprising a large ice block having a series of score lines in one face thereof and an unsevered core extending from end to end of said large ice block, said score lines being substantially parallel and spaced apart and of greater depth at their centers than at their ends, and said unsevered core being thicker and stronger at opposite sides than at its center, to thereby enable said large scored ice block to be transported as a unit and to be divided by fracture after transportation into a blocks of symmetrical outline and uniform weight.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

v HENRY D. POWNALL.

plurality of smaller ice 

